Neto Double Gives Chelsea 2-0 Win Over Everton as Goalkeeper Martínez Taken to Hospital
Pedro Neto scored twice, at either end of the second half, as Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, October 17. The result gave Everton their first defeat of the Premier League season after seven rounds, and lifted Chelsea to fourth in the table. The match was overshadowed by a serious head injury to Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.
The first half was goalless, and it ended with some drama. Chelsea's Morgan Rogers escaped a red card before the interval, and he and Everton's James Tarkowski were both booked after tempers frayed.
Chelsea scored 44 seconds after the restart. Neto ran onto a low cross from Jorrel Hato and finished through a defender's legs, with Pickford getting a hand to the ball but unable to keep it out. In the 66th minute, Martínez clashed heads with Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite as they challenged for a free kick. The match was stopped for around nine or ten minutes while Martínez received treatment on the pitch. He was moving his arms as he was carried off on a stretcher, and was taken to hospital for precautionary tests. Branthwaite carried on playing after a concussion test.
Belgian goalkeeper Mike Penders, 21, replaced Martínez and made his Premier League debut. He had little to do other than deal with a few desperate Everton crosses, and he helped Chelsea keep a clean sheet. It was Chelsea's first Premier League clean sheet in 23 matches, since a 2-0 home win over Brentford in January, which ended a run of 22 league games without one.
Everton pushed hard for an equaliser, and Chelsea needed to survive 13 minutes of added time. Neto sealed the win in the 90th minute. Jordan Henderson's free kick was blocked by the Everton wall, and Neto reacted quickest to stroke the loose ball into the bottom corner. It was Neto's first Premier League brace, in his 187th appearance in the competition. He told TNT Sports that the win was for Martínez.
Everton had only six shots, their fewest in a Premier League match since last December. They also failed to score at home in the league for the first time since February. Tarkowski said his side did not manage to get enough numbers back in the box. Chelsea, coached by Xabi Alonso, have only their second away win against Everton in their last ten visits.